Romans

Sermons based on readings from Paul’s Letter to the Romans

A Sermon for the Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (11/06/23): The Faith of Abraham

(Genesis 12:1-9) Romans 4:13-25 Abraham is the Bible’s, and especially Paul’s, definitive person of faith. Time and again Abraham believes what God tells him, and time and again his life is reshaped as a consequence. Abraham, who at that point in his life was still called Abram, was told to move from Ur to Haran. …

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A Sermon for the Third Sunday in Lent (12/03/23): Adam and Jesus

Romans 5:9-12 Therefore just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. As Paul writes he has two stories in mind. Though he doesn’t actually tell either of them. And those stories have two central characters. Though again Paul doesn’t actually …

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A Sermon for Trinity Sunday (12/06/22): Talking about the Trinity not Talking about the Trinity

Romans 5:1-5 Today is Trinity Sunday. This is the one Sunday in the year when we are invited to consider, directly, the doctrine of the Trinity. That is, the preacher is called to speak, and the congregation is invited to reflect on, the distinctively Christian doctrine of God. There is no doubt that it is …

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A Sermon for the Day of Pentecost (05/06/22): When We Cry “Abba, Father!”

Acts 2:1-21 / Romans 8:14-17 When we cry, “Abba, Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God. What does the Spirit do? This seems to be the most appropriate question to ask on the one Sunday in the year when all our attention is focussed on …

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A Sermon for Wesley Day (24/05/21): By Grace Through Faith

By Grace through FaithRomans 5:1-11 “In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter to nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through Faith in Christ, I felt my heart …

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A Sermon for Pentecost Sunday (23/05/21): The Holy Spirit and Hope for the Future

The Holy Spirit and Hope for the FutureActs 2:1-21, Romans 8:22-27 Suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were …

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A Sermon for the Second Sunday after Pentecost (14/06/20): Christian Philosophy of Life

Christian Philosophy of Life Romans 5:1-8 Everyone has a philosophy of life. That seems a bold claim, since most of us are not in the least bit philosophical. But everyone has a philosophy of life. In an informal sense what that means is that everyone has some basis for their character. There is something that makes each of us …

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